Pressure vessel

ABSTRACT

A pressure vessel cover or closure which can be inserted and removed by push or pull forces. Pushing the cover into place cams a segmental ring outward into locking position. Pulling the cover relieves the cam action, allowing retraction of the ring to unlock the cover.

I United States Patent 1 [111 3,747,798 Marchal [4 1 July 24, 1973 PRESSURE VESSEL 299,676 6/1884 Poland 220 24.5

[75] Inventor: Francis V. Marehal, Erie, Pa. FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 3 Assign; Autochve Engineers Inc" Erie, p 6,481 3/1932 Australia... 220/55 AN 102,935 ll/l9l6 Great Bntaln 220/55 AN [22] Filed: Aug. 29, 1972 [21] APPL 2 57 Primary Examiner-Samuel B. Rorthberg Assistant Examiner-Allan N. Shoap Attorney-Ralph Hammar [52] US. Cl. 220/55 Y, 220/24.5 [5 1] Int. Cl. .Q. A47] 27/08 [58] Field of Search 220/55 A, 55 B, 55 C, [57] ABSTRACT 220/55 Y, 245 55 Z 55 w 55 AN 55 R A pressure vessel cover or closure WhlCh can be In- I serted and removed by push or pull forces. Pushing the 5 R f e Ci cover into place cams a segmental ring outward into UNITED STATES PATENTS locking position. Pulling the cover relieves the cam ac- 3,449,860 6/1969 Franks, Jr. et al 220155 Y allowmg mg 9 unlock tha cover 3,667,649 6/1972 Thillet 220/55 Y 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures mimmmmn 3,747. we

' sum 1 n; 2

FIG./

PRESSURE VESSEL This invention is intended to simplify the operation of pressure vessel closures by a structure in which the closure is carried by a cam ring mounted on the closure for vertical reciprocation between an upper or unlocked position and a lower or locked position.

In the accompanying drawing,

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of a pressure vessel, and

FIG. 2 is a similar section through the closure.

The body 1 of the pressure vessel has a closure receiving counterbore 2 at its upper end terminating in an inwardly extending shoulder 3, from the inner edge of which extends the smaller diameter bore 4 which comprises the pressure chamber. Between the upper and lower ends of the counterbore 2 is a locking groove 5.

The closure for the pressure vessel comprises a plug 6 having a lower section 7 slidably received in the bore 4 and sealed to the bore by an O-ring 8 or other suitable sealing element carried in a groove 9. The seal provided by the O-ring accommodates relative movement between the plug and body. The plug 6 has a shoulder 10 which seats on the shoulder 3. Above the shoulder 10 is a larger diameter section 11 slidably received in the counterbore 2 and having at its upper end a seat 12 for a segmental ring 13 urged to its contracted position by a garter spring 14. In the contracted position shown in FIG. 2 the segmental ring 13 rests on the seat 12 and the lower end of a cam surface 15 on a cam ring 16 engages a cam surface 17 at the inner upper edge of the segmental ring 13. In its contracted position the outer edge of the ring 13 has a sliding fit in the bore 2. In its expanded position, the ring 13 enters the locking groove and is held in that position by engagement of an inner cylindrical surface 18 of the ring with a cylindrical surface 19 on the cam ring. Pressure on the plug 6 is transmitted from the seat 12 to the inner part of the ring 13 and from the ring 13 to the upper edge 20 of the locking groove 5.

The cam ring 16 is rotatably and slidably mounted on the plug 6 by a segmental ring 21 fastened to the upper end of the plug by screws 22 which are inserted through an access hole 23. The outside diameter of the segmental ring 21 is greater than the outside diameter of a central surface 24 on the plug on which the inner end surface 25 of the cam ring slides. The outer edge of the ring 21 is slidably received in a counterbore 26 in the cam ring. In the uppermost position of the cam ring 16 shown in FIG. 2, the ring 21 bears on a shoulder 27 at the lower end of the counterbore 26 and transmits lifting force from a handle 28 screwed into the cam ring to the plug 6. The ring 21 is segmental so as to permit installation. After installation, the access hole 23 is preferably closed by a plug 29.

When the closure is outside the pressure vessel, the parts have the position shown in FIG. 2. .The segmental ring 13 is retracted and the cam ring 16 is held in its upper position. To insert the closure it is merely lowered into the upper end of the counterbore 2 of the pressure vessel until the shoulder on the plug 6 seats on the shoulder 3 of the pressure vessel. In this position the segmental ring 13 is opposite the locking groove 5. By pushing downward on the handle 28 the cam surface on the cam ring coacts with the cam surface 17 to force the segmental ring 13 outward so that its outer part is received in the locking groove 15 while its inner part remains engaged with the shoulder 12. The vessel may now be pressurized and the closure will be held in place by the locking ring. Because the cylindrical sur face 18 on the locking ring is opposite cylindrical surface 19 on the cam ring, the pressure forces acting on the plug do not act on the cam ring 16.

To remove the closure, the vessel should first be depressurized. If it is not depressurized, removal of the plug will not be possible because the segmental ring 13 will be wedged between the shoulder 12 and the upper side 20 of the locking groove. After depressurizing, lifting the handle 28 lifts the cam ring 16 to its upper position shown in FIG. 2, allowing the locking ring 13 to be contracted by the garter spring 14. Continued lifting of the handle applies a lifting force from the shoulder 27 on the inside of the cam ring to the outer edge of the retainer ring 21. Under normal conditions only a push or pull force applied to the handle 28 is required for insertion or removal of the closure. If there should be distortion of the parts of the closure due to over pressure, causing jamming of the cam ring, positive lifting of the cam ring can be effected by screwing the stem of the handle 28 downward against the upper end of the plug. This provides a positive force compelling upward movement of the cam ring relative to the plug.

What is claimed is:

l. A pressure vessel body having a counterbore 'extending axially inward from one end, a first shoulder at the inner end of the counterbore, an outwardly extending annular groove above said shoulder, and a bore of diameter smaller than the counterbore extending axially inward from said shoulder, a plug having an upper section slidably received in said counterbore, a lower section slidably received in said bore, a second shoulder on the plug seated on the first shoulder, means for making a sliding seal between the lower section of the plug and said bore, a segmental ring having its outer part extending into said groove and its inner part extending into said counterbore, a third shoulder on said plug engaging the lower side of the inner part of said ring to transfer pressure from said plug to said ring, spring means for contracting said ring, the contracted diameter of the ring being less than the diameter of said counterbore, a cam ring slidably mounted on the upper section of the plug for movement between upper and lower positions, said cam ring in its lower position forcing the segmental ring outward into said groove and its upper position permitting contraction of the segmental ring by said spring means, and a handle on said cam ring for removing and inserting the plug.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which the handle is screwed into the cam ring and has its lower end presented to and engageable with the plug to provide a positive force for moving the cam ring toward its upper position. I I i I 3. The structure of claim 1 in which the upper section of the plug has an outwardly projecting retainer and the cam ring has its lower end slidable on the upper section of the plug and a counterbore above its lower end for receiving the retainer.

4. The,-structure of claim 3 in which the retainer is a segmental ring of larger diameter than the upper section of the plug. 

1. A pressure vessel body having a counterbore extending axially inward from one end, a first shoulder at the inner end of the counterbore, an outwardly extending annular groove above said shoulder, and a bore of diameter smaller than the counterbore extending axially inward from said shoulder, a plug having an upper section slidably received in said counterbore, a lower section slidably received in said bore, a second shoulder on the plug seated on the first shoulder, means for making a sliding seal between the lower section of the plug and said bore, a segmental ring having its outer part extending into said groove and its inner part extending into said counterbore, a third shoulder on said plug engaging the lower side of the inner part of said ring to transfer pressure from said plug to said ring, spring means for contracting said ring, the contracted diameter of the ring being less than the diameter of said counterbore, a cam ring slidably mounted on the upper section of the plug for movement between upper and lower positions, said cam ring in its lower position forcing the segmental ring outward into said groove and its upper position permitting contraction of the segmental ring by said spring means, and a handle on said cam ring for removing and inserting the plug.
 2. The structure of claim 1 in which the handle is screwed into the cam ring and has its lower end presented to and engageable with the plug to provide a positive force for moving the cam ring toward its upper position.
 3. The structure of claim 1 in which the upper section of the plug has an outwardly projecting retainer and the cam ring has its lower end slidable on the upper section of the plug and a counterbore above its lower end for receiving the retainer.
 4. The structure of claim 3 in which the retainer is a segmental ring of larger diameter than the upper section of the plug. 